Mobile Device Applications
for Libraries
www.bsu.edu/libraries/mobile
Small-Screen Handheld Mobile Device
User Interfaces for Library Applications
Bradley D. Faust, Assistant Dean for Library Information
Technology Services, Ball State University Libraries
Discussion Points
• Continued interest in the Mobile Space
• Background on the Ball State University
Libraries Mobile Initiatives
• Current Mobile Grant Project Overview
• Computer Availability Phase
• Mobile Site Upgrade Phase
• Digital Library Access Phase
• Other interesting Library Mobile Programs
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Continued Interest in Mobile
• Better, faster, higher capacity 3G/4G and
WiFi networks and handheld devices
• Price/performance of mobile device
ownership is constantly improving
• Expand library resources and information
access to include mobile device options
• Images, audio, and video can be easily
presented on mobile devices
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Mobile Project Background
• Began mobile project development in 2004
• A $15,000 LSTA Technology Grant
supported much of the development work
• Outcomes included
– A mobile device interface to our OPAC
– A mobile device friendly list of Journals
– A mobile device friendly library information
base
– Links to mobile device friendly Web sites
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Mobile Project Background
• 1st LSTA Grant ended in 2005
• Minor mobile Web site updates were
applied until 2008
• In early 2009, we applied for a second
LSTA Technology Grant - $8,000
• LSTA Grant awarded in May 2009
• Development work began in July when we
hired a Mobile Computing Developer
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Current Mobile Grant Project
• Three Phases
– Computer Availability Module
– Updates to Existing Mobile Web Site
• Site redesign to support modern mobile devices
• MOPAC (mobile OPAC)
• Mobile Journals - DOA
– Building a Digital Media Repository (DMR)
Mobile User Interface (UI)
• DMR Mobile is based on CONTENTdm
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Computer Availability Module
• What is it?
– It is a tool to allow students to identify areas
in Bracken Library where computers are
available
• How does it operate?
– A computer agent installed on each public PC
– The computer agent reports information
back to a server where it is used to produce
FLASH based floor plans, and the mobile UI
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Computer Availability Module
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Mobile Site Updates
• Update the look and feel of the site
– To work on iPhone and iPod Touch units
– To work on other Smartphone devices
• Improve functionality of the existing
mobile applications
• Develop a new instructional video
structure
• Update and add links to useful external
mobile web sites
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Mobile Site Updates
• Previous Homepage
May 2010
• Previous Homepage
ILF District 1 Conference
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Replace
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Mobile Site Updates
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Mobile Site Updates
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Digital Library Access for Mobile
• Extend access opportunities to assets and
objects in our digital collections
• Connect the DMR to an increasingly
mobile user base
• Extend the value of online research
material
• Deliver multimedia objects that work well
on modern mobile devices and networks
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Digital Library Access for Mobile
• Context/Challenges
– CONTENTdm based Digital Media Repository
– Multiple asset types: image, video, audio,
compound objects, 3D, text….
– Streaming audio and video: how to deliver to
mobile devices?
– Application Development
• App or Web Application?
• Web Application host?
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Interesting Mobile Statistics
• According to Gartner, Smartphone
development tools fall into 7 categories –
it is a complex space
• Mobile Device Capacity –
– iPhone 3GS Capacity – 16GB
– Motorola Droid Capacity – 16 GB
– iPod Touch Max Capacity – 64GB
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Digital Library Access for Mobile
• DMR Mobile UI prototype in iPlotz service
• iplotz.com/app/viewer.php?k=b709469a
14b09b8071562ed9dd4dad1a&pr=6227
&pg=6227_5&a=4830
• Jing version of DMR Mobile UI Prototype
• www.bsu.edu/libraries/lits/rtv/libmobil
einit.htm
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Academic Resources Page
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
DMR Mobile Menus
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
DMR Mobile Menus
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Digital Library Access for Mobile
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Digital Library Access for Mobile
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Digital Library Access for Mobile
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Digital Library Access for Mobile
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Digital Library Access for Mobile
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Digital Library Access for Mobile
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Digital Library Access for Mobile
• DMR Mobile in Action
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj5w
jC2zvCw
• Updated Mobile Web Site
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZlsu
-3tt3I&feature=related
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
DMR Mobile – to do
• Implement DMR Mobile Search
• Expand mobile access to non-image
assets
• Conduct basic usability testing
• Fine tune interface design
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Digital Library Access Channels
• DMR Outreach at Ball State University
– Microsoft Surface application
• Ball State University Maps and Photos App
– Multi-platform BSU PowerPoint Generator
for CONTENTdm
• BSU application
– Catalog record links, embedded images, etc.
– Mobile device access to the DMR assets
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
WorldCat Mobile
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Duke Mobile
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Cornell arXiv
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Cornell arXiv
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
IUPUI Libraries Mobile
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Easy Access to UL Mobile
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Mobile Help Page Example
• Univ. of Utah Spencer S. Eccles Health
Sciences Library – Mobile Device
Applications help page
• http://library.med.utah.edu/km/mobilea
pps.php
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
LSTA Grant Project Team
• Daniel J. H. Lakes
– Mobile Computing Developer
• R. Todd Vandenbark
– Special Projects Developer
• Project Co-Investigators
– Arthur W. Häfner, Ph.D., M.B.A., Dean of
University Libraries
– Bradley D. Faust, M.L.S., Assistant Dean for
Library Information Technology Services
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Thank You
• This project is
supported by the
Institute of Museum
and Library Services
(IMLS) under the
provisions of the
Library Services and
Technology Act (LSTA),
administered by the
Indiana State Library.
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference
Speaker Contact Information
Bradley D. Faust
Ball State University Libraries
Muncie, Indiana 47306
BFaust@bsu.edu
765-285-8032
www.bsu.edu/library
www.bsu.edu/libraries/mobile
http://libx.bsu.edu/m
May 2010
ILF District 1 Conference